Competition

lunch and diets

Regina's pov

Praise the sun it's finally lunch, I'm last to the table and squish in between lee and Emma. I love them both endlessly just sitting with my two favorite girls is joy in a bottle.

" Hello pretty people! I'm blessing you with my incredibly boring butter noodles and a mango. What do you all have?" I always inspect everyone else's food my food is sometimes so simple in comparison to the nutrient rich feasts everyone else eats. However I like my food, my body, and I'm happy. I know Emma struggles with Ortho, and Lee used to have anorexia and I don't want that. I think something is wrong with Cate but that has nothing to do with me. I want to love myself and enjoy my body.

I'm immediately presented with lee's veggies and some pasta. From Rebecca I see what smells like chicken curry. Emma's got a predictable salad and Cate has a few slices of veggie pizza.

As I'm scanning everyone's options and we all begin to eat. Everyone has healthy options. Rebecca steps in.

" I wanted to ask you girls something--" she starts.

" Please no more questions about weight!!" Lee groans. That's a bit snappy for Lee maybe she hasn't had enough to eat today?

" No no it's not, well kinda I wanted to ask about beauty standards and body image in each of your different ethnic coumminties. I'd love to use you all for interviews in my English paper." Rebecca's says while scopping up some rice.

Cate responds first. She's always so eager to respond having twins for brothers I know she gets ignored a bit.

" Well I'm sure we all know about typical Chinese, Korean, and Japanese beauty standards, it's all about thinnes being cute. Looking and acting young. Almost as though everyone needs to look the same. I've never been more than about 135, so chubby at worst but even that is frowned upon when it comes to asian beauty, and that's kind of crazy because Asian beauty standards are so eurocentric." She takes a bite of her pizza and rolls her eyes.

" But honestly, I'm okay with taking drastic measures to remain pretty" she finishes off, I give her a bit of side eye as I've never heard say something like that. But before I can comment on it Emma interjects.

" Well in the whole world I'm the beauty standard, tall blue eyed, blonde hair and all the resources to stay slim, because of that I feel like there is pounds more pressure to be perfect. That spread into the development of my orthorexia. Even with therapy I still struggle immensely. " She looks at Rebecca expectanley and takes another bite of her salad.

" That's a great point, also I didn't know you had orthorexia what's that like?" Rebecca's questions eagerly.

" Well... In terms my therapist wouldn't like. A very clean diet, that can be super healthy. Just eat things you can pick off a tree or a bush. In more realistic terms for me anyway it's ther perfection of my food, what goes into it, and how nutritious it is. Plus what it looks like." I grab her hand and give it a squeeze. She squeezes back.

" Oh okay, I never would have known, thank you for telling me. Although that does explain the green juices and salad. " Bex jokes.

Emma nods and Lee takes a bite of her probably protein pasta. That girl and her protein.

" Well in the black community big boobs and butts are the norms, and due to that stereotype that's how black women are portrayed in the media. I don't fit that idea, by choice, I eat protein I lift weights and I love the body I've built from that because I know I look good. So I'm not disappointed in my body by that beauty standard. I'm happy healthy and can lift hundreds of pounds. In addition to that there are loads of black muscular people men and women in fact black men being effortlessly muscular is incredibly common. So I still have a large a coumminty and I never feel completely excluded, except for in predominantly white spaces"

" Wow" we all say in unison. I know it's tough for black people out there, it's tough for all people of color but latina women are viewed sexually and over sexualized. Looks more like black women can never live in piece.

" That's crazy lee, I feel like in some ways the Indian beauty standard can be the same but in other ways not so much" Rebecca said while munching on an apple.

" Well, me personally being latina we have some struggles but my family is great, so I've never felt pressured to look any specific kind of way. I'm okay with my body, I'm great at ballet, a good runner and may I toot ,y own beautiful. " I say with a shrug.

" Sometimes beauty standards, social media, and celebs can get to you of course. But you simply have to have the strength to love yourself. Turn away from all that crazy stuff and foucas on your self and what you can do. Each and everyone of you are beautiful I know you all have you own struggles and Rebecca I'm delighted you are loosing weight. " I say with a smile.

" Thanks, Regina I might try Emma's all green diet, maybe add in more vegetables ." She says shyly.

" Don't diet yet, figure out where your body naturally sits, just count your calories start taking accountability for your actions and then one day we can slowly reduce your calories through a calorie deficit. " Lee says, while smiling and giving Rebecca's hand a pat.

" Your right, I'll keep eating as normal for two more weeks." Rebecca says.

" You are right Regina we should definitely all love ourselves regardless of beauty standards we each have control over ourselves and our bodies ." Emma states while giving me a squishy hug.

" So is anyone on any kind of diet right now ?" Cate asks with a small smirk.

" Nope, just working out, heaving protein and around 1600-1700 calories." Lee says blandly.

"'Not really, just greens, moderation and balance for me, I don't count calories," Emma says taking another bite of her almost finished salad.

That's a lie I instantly think, but then I remember we are still getting know Rebecca, and maybe she isn't comfortable being honest right now.

" You know I'm not." Rebecca laughs.

" Well I'm trying to eat clean, vegetarianism and all that. Healthy filling balanced food. Around 1000-1150 calories in a perfect day. " Cate says as she finishes her pizza and takes another sip of water.

With that the bell rings we all hug and head to our separate courses.

I like having Rebecca around, her friendship and belonging in our group is slowly budding.